After Christmas
by emisonxx
Summary: EMISON. "Merry Christmas Bitches-A". Picking up where the Christmas episode ended. Emily can't bear the thought of Holbrook/Ali, and the possibility of Ali being A and leaving that Christmas note. So she confronts the blonde and Alison intends to prove the truth to her.
1. Chapter 1

Merry Christmas Everyone! My semester is almost over, which means I promise I will update every story of mine. However, I drank way too much caffeine tonight and also watched the Christmas episode which resulted in this- my take on what I wish would happen after the Christmas episode. This is dedicated to **kayweston** as a late birthday present :) Enjoy!

xxx

"Merry Christmas Bitches, -A," Emily reads the sign out loud. And for once she's not afraid of A. Betrayal and pain run through her blood and she's _furious_.

She feels a light touch on her arm and she turns to see Paige's concerned face, and her heart feels a heavy sadness that she can't believe she has to bear on her favorite day of the year. First she lost Alison, then Maya, then Paige betrayed her with Ali, and then Ali betrayed her, and now Paige is leaving- it's too much for Emily's exhausted soul. She doesn't want to keep building homes in people who are going to leave her. Granted, it's not Paige's fault that she's leaving. But it's happening nonetheless.

And as she stands here looking at what she perceives to be Alison's latest scare tactic, her heart beats rapidly as she thinks as to how she could ever have loved a _monster_ like Alison.

"Emily," she hears Hanna's voice call her softly from the side and she sees the spunky blonde looking at her with such worry.

"What?" she asks hoarsely.

"You look like you're going to have a meltdown or something," Aria says in a hushed voice. Emily realizes all eyes are on her and that she's zoned out the last few minutes.

"This doesn't bother you guys?" Emily asks dryly. "Look at this. Snow is falling, the sky is filled with stars, there's a beautifully decorated tree and then there's a fucking psycho note left for us from Alison trying to ruin our Christmas!"

Her voice escalated quickly to a state of anger and hurt that none of the girls have heard from Emily before.

"Emily you need to calm down. We don't know it was Alison-" Spencer tries to interject but Emily cuts her off.

"Of course it was Alison. Only someone as twisted as her would do this. This is just as messed up as killing Mona or stalking us or spreading her legs for Holbrook."

A silence falls over the group and Emily realizes what she's just said. She sees Paige staring at her sympathetically out of the corner of her eye and she shakes her head and stalks back towards the house, disgusted with Alison. But mostly she hates herself for still caring.

Paige runs after her, calling for her to calm down, and the other six remain outside.

"Is that what this is about?" Toby asks with a sigh. He cares for the sweet brunette as much as all the girls do.

"Holbrook and Ali playing naughty and nice? Probably," Spencer replies as she looks towards the eerily cheery yet threatening note from their nemesis.

"Poor Em," Aria muses sadly as Ezra wraps his arms around her.

"She plays it off like she's over Alison, but I think it's going to be a long time before she moves on," Hanna tells them with a sigh. They all look at her questioningly. She looks at them hesitatingly before continuing. "After Mona died, Emily and I talked about the possibility of Alison being A. She told me that when Ali first came back, they got a little too close in Alison's bed."

"How close?" Aria asks with wide eyes.

"I don't know, she didn't want to elaborate."

From the bushes, cerulean blue eyes peer out and Alison's tiny body shivers in the cold. Her shallow breaths can be seen in front of her as she tries to remain silent. She doesn't know what's worse- her nightmare with Mona earlier, or listening to her old friends discuss her as the villain. It hurts knowing that they don't believe her, but hearing it blatantly discussed in front of her is a whole different story.

She'd seen the look on her mermaid's face when she'd ranted about her- the look made Alison shiver with fear and heartbreak because if looks could kill, Alison would be now brutally murdered by her sweet killer.

The pang of sadness that had hit her when she had seen their happy Christmas dinner was still settling in her like the death of a close friend. There they were- the four girls she had given up _everything_ to protect, risked her life to come back for, and brought together initially. They were together, like a family, and they had abandoned her.

For the longest time, they had been her family. And now, she has nobody, save Cece who is merely fleeting. Her own father didn't attend the ball, he was busy at work and is now currently locked in his home office. Jason is away, her mother is dead, her friends all hate her- and worst of all, Emily would love to see her in her grave.

Emily. The look on her mermaid's face when she mentioned Holbrook had shocked Ali. She's never seen Emily look so vicious. The blonde wants to tell Emily she couldn't possibly care about anyone as much as she cares about her, and that Holbrook is just a blanket of security- someone to protect her from all the people in this town who want to seriously harm her. She wouldn't need Holbrook if she still had the brunette's trust because she knows Emily would _kill_ for her. But she needs to keep with the dirty detective because he's her way in to the investigation, and he can give her access to files she needs to figure out once and for all who this crazy bitch is.

But it kills her that Emily thinks so lowly of her, that she's 'spreading her legs for Holbrook'. She wonders if that night they spent together meant anything to Emily, and at least she had the good sense to not tell Hanna the details of it.

Alison shakes as a cold shiver runs through her body and she realizes she's crying as a cold tear reaches her lip. Christmas has never been her favorite, and it looks like it's yet another year she's spending it alone.

x-x-x

Spencer's house is quiet. Not a sound is heard except for the dying crackle of the fireplace. Emily lies still, her eyes dead open. She's never felt more alone, even with the seven others spread out in the living room in various positions and with Paige loosely wrapped around her.

She remembers a time when she spent hours, days even, trying to plan and put Alison's Christmas presents together. There was even a time during the last few years, when nobody was looking or listening, that she'd wish for Alison to be alive. She's not sure why she wished for that, it all feels rather childish now.

Emily doesn't want to admit it to her friends-it would crush them- but this Christmas sucked. She wasn't with her family, Paige disclosed her leaving, and the blonde of her dreams just wrote them a snarky, bitchy Christmas message after shoving her tongue down detective Holbrook's throat.

She can't get over how angry she is- how _hurt _she feels. And she doesn't know what comes over her, but suddenly she decides that Alison should hurt too. She's not sure Alison's capable of feeling hurt, but goddamn it she's going to try.

x-x-x

Alison wakes up to a shuffling sound. Her eyes widen in panic and she pinches herself to make sure she's not dreaming again.

"Hello?" her voice calls out shakily and she begins to tremble. She's not safe, she knows that- she found broken glass in her house last night and she knows somebody is just waiting for the right moment to kill her.

The sounds are coming from outside her room, as if someone is walking up the stairs.

"Who's there?" she asks in a tiny voice that she knows sounds pathetic. But really, when she thinks about it, she _is_ pathetic.

But suddenly her door is thrown open and she yelps as she flinches only to see Emily standing there, her eyes dark and stormy. She closes her eyes for a moment.

"Em, god, you scared me," Alison breathes nervously and tries to catch her breath.

"Good, for once you're the one that's scared," Emily growls as she shoves aside the fact that she sees real terror in Alison's eyes. Knowing she has this power over Alison gives her guilty pleasure.

As the blonde looks at Emily, she tries to find the girl she fell in love with so long ago- the kind one, the one who believed in her no matter what. But right now all she sees is a pained, damaged and spiteful young woman.

"Can we not do this right now? You should go back to your friends," Alison tries to say coolly but she gasps as Emily narrows her eyes and marches right up to her bed and pulls the covers off of Alison and yanks her up off the bed so that they're standing face to face as Emily basically throws her against the wall.

The swimmer is caught off guard by the fact that Ali is sleeping in such little clothing- the blonde is only wearing a baggy shirt and panties, despite the frigid weather. But, the brunette thinks for a brief second, her house temperature is pretty cozy right now. She forces herself to look at Alison's face.

(and _fuck_, she hates that she still wants her)

"Where do you get off on leaving us stupid light up -A messages on Christmas of all days? You must be really sick in the head," Emily accuses her and Alison looks away, not wanting to face Emily's wrath.

"If you really think I did that, then I don't think you ever knew me," Alison says in a quiet biting voice, trying to mask the hurt caused by Emily's cruel words.

"No I never knew you. One minute you were this nice person and the next you were a monster, and now you lead like seven different secret lives and I'm starting to think you have a mad case of personality disorder," Emily sneers.

"When did you become so mean?" Alison asks in disbelief as she stares sadly at Emily's steeled face. This isn't the girl she's in love with.

"I just learned from the best," Emily says so smugly that it causes Alison's stomach to flip unpleasantly.

"Emily listen to me," Alison begins to order her in a stern voice but she's startled when Emily steps into her, their faces inches apart and she can feel just how angry and torn apart the brunette is.

"No, you listen to me," Emily begins, her eyes glowing with pain. "I'm done with your bullying, Ali. I'm done with you ordering me around, and lying to me and messing with my feelings. I may have been naïve once and believed you but I'm not that girl anymore. Why don't you just kill me now Alison? That's your intent right? To torture us and then kill us? Why don't you just-"

"Shut up," Alison seethes with emotion and pushes Emily backwards so hard the brunette almost falls over. "Get the fuck out of my house."

"Make me," Emily retorts.

"You don't fucking understand," Alison begins as she grabs Emily by the shirt and shakes her as she speaks. "Everything I've done is to keep you safe. How many times do I have to say that for you to get it through your head?"

"Oh really? Did you kill Mona to keep me safe?"

"I didn't kill her!" Ali almost screeches and then remembers her father is asleep down the hall.

"Like I believe you," Emily huffs crossing her arms and stepping backwards from Alison.

"Believe what you want," Alison hisses frustrated and running a hand through her hair. "I came back for you. You _begged_ me to stay, remember?"

"Did you ever really love me?" Emily blurts out, wanting the truth. She's tired of fighting all of a sudden- she can't stand this. She's not a brutal person, she's just hurt. She just wants the truth. Her body sags suddenly, drooping with the weight of their fucked up relationship.

"Of course I did," Alison replies incredulously. "I made a lot of mistakes and the worst was convincing you I didn't have feelings for you. Because I do, I swear to god Em I do. I might never be able to convince you, but I care a lot more than you think. I know Christmas is your favorite holiday, and I remember every single present you ever got me. I would never ruin today for you. You're the only person I would want to spend today with because you're the only person who's ever shown me what it's like to be really loved."

Emily doesn't know what to think all of a sudden. Looking into those swirling blue eyes and hearing the sincere tone has the brunette feeling like a lost puppy again, like she's fifteen and so sick in love with Alison that it hurts. She wants to believe the blonde, wants to forgive her and wants to just collapse into her arms because she's so damn tired of this battle.

"Why do you lie to me then?" Emily asks and she's shocked to hear how tiny her voice come out as, how it wavers unsurely.

"Because I don't know how else to protect you," Alison squeaks out apologetically. "I'm not lying about my feelings Emily. I lied once, when I told you those kisses were for practice."

"How can I ever believe you?" Emily asks, and her voice sounds as broken as she looks, her eyes filled with a never ending sadness and all Alison wants to do is make her feel loved, the way she did for her.

"Let me give you a Christmas present," Alison says quietly, daring herself to be bold and to prove to Emily just how much she loves her.

"What present?" Emily asks with confusion and she knows she's fucked- she feels her heart softening for the blonde in front of her.

Alison wordlessly leads Emily to her bed and has her sit on the edge before she goes and stands in between her legs.

She takes both her hands and lets one play with Emily's gorgeous locks of hair as the other caresses her face gently.

"My sweet Emily," she whispers gently and as the brunette looks up, she sees pain in Alison's eyes. "You deserve far better than me."

"Wait," Emily leans back away from the blonde's touch and frowns. Alison looks at her patiently. "You…I can't…you were kissing Holbrook."

Her voice is strangled and Alison can see the blatant disgust and jealousy that is brewing within her mermaid.

"Yes, I was kissing Holbrook," Alison admits because there is no sense in trying to hide anything. "And you were kissing Paige."

"That's different," Emily retorts, wary and suddenly putting her walls back up.

"It is," Alison agrees as she tries to console her by rubbing her thumb gently across her face.

"The difference is you love Paige, and I'm just using Holbrook as a means to an end. To figure out who A is. Again I know you can't just believe me, but it's the truth. I have nothing to lose with you anymore Emily, I'm not lying. I think Holbrook is nice, and he is protecting me. But he could never make me feel the way you make me feel."

"And how's that?" Emily asks, her eyes avoiding Ali's as she looks down.

"Like I'm worth something, like I have a chance to actually be a good person," Alison admits quietly. "You make me feel like I have value."

The blonde watches as Emily's face struggles against all the emotion within her, and she lets her fingers trail down to her chin and tilt her head upward.

"I want to make you feel something too," Alison whispers as her lips hover over Emily's and she wastes no time in pressing her lips against hers. Emily's hands instantly land on her hips, and she's _very_ aware that the blonde is wearing so little clothing.

Soft lips move desperately against Emily's and the brunette whimpers as Ali's tongue begs for entrance and she grants it, allowing the blonde to deepen the kiss. Alison climbs on Emily and straddles her with both knees on either side of her as her hands slide into the brunette's hair.

"I can't," Emily pulls away, suddenly remembering Paige back at Spencer's and Alison looks at her sadly.

"Why not?" Alison asks dejectedly, like a wounded puppy.

"Paige…"

"You're not officially dating," Alison points out and Emily raises her eyebrow, surprised that the blonde has kept up with their relationship. She merely shrugs.

"But still-"

"Let's be real," Alison says in a calm voice but she feels the weight of her words begin to sink in. "Tomorrow you're going to go back to them. You're not going to really believe me. You're going to question everything I say, A is going to threaten us or tear us apart somehow, and I'm going to lose you again."

She hates that she feels the pressure building in her head, feels tears rising up and she forces them to stay down but Emily can hear the painful truth in her words and it stings her.

"So please, Emily," Alison tries to start but she can't finish as she chokes on her words.

The brunette understands and nods, in a daze. She honestly doesn't know what to think.

But Alison's lips are quickly on hers again, and she's lost in everything that is Alison. She feels the heart shaped lips momentarily leave hers and begin to kiss her all over her face, little fluttering kisses over her eyes, cheeks, nose, down her chin, and then back to her lips, an obvious sadness present. And if you had told Emily that Christmas would end with Alison peppering kisses all over her face, she would have scoffed and said there was a better chance of Aria dancing on dead monkeys.

But this feels like heaven- this is all she craves. Alison slowly guides her back and Emily lets herself lie backwards on the bed with Alison on top of her.

Alison's fingers dance underneath the hem of Emily's shirt, not daring to move up though Emily's hands are rubbing up and down Alison's back as they kiss.

Alison drags her lips down from Emily's to her neck and kisses softly before sucking harder and nipping, causing a small moan to emit from the back of Emily's throat and Alison rocks against Emily's hips at the erotic sound.

She feels Emily's hands slip from her back around to her breasts and a strangled moan leaves her throat as the brunette eyes her while squeezing them and pinching her nipples between her thumb and forefinger.

"Fuck," Alison curses and Emily finally smiles, happy to be the reason for Alison's labored breathing.

The brunette lets her hands wander back to the bottom of Ali's shirt and she pulls it off hurriedly, eager to see the blonde topless and her mouth goes dry at the sight.

Alison looks at her with an amused twinkle in her eye as she flips them over and lies on her back, her hair spread out below her as she stares up at her mermaid. Her pale skin is illuminated by the moonlight through the window and Emily can't stop staring at the beautiful sight below her. Her hard nipples on her perfectly round breasts, above her soft tummy, make Emily's center throb with need.

"Can you take yours off too?" Ali asks innocently, though she's dying to see Emily.

Emily complies and strips herself of her jacket and shirt, and is left in her lacy bra though Alison doesn't complain.

"You've only gotten more gorgeous," Alison breathes and Emily blushes. It warms her heart that her mermaid will still blush for her, after all this time. "I mean it Em."

"I used to dream about this," Emily whispers as she stares affectionately into those blue eyes. She's _definitely_ fifteen again and so painfully in love that she can physically feel it. But she can also feel Alison's heat pressed against her thigh, and that just makes her core throb painfully.

"You won't believe me, but I did too," Alison tells her gently.

"I never thought I had a chance with someone so beautiful," Emily admits and Alison shakes her head.

"You were the only one that ever had a chance."

Emily leans down to capture her lips once more, their breasts pressed together and Ali can only whimper as Emily sucks on her bottom lip and rolls her hips so that her thigh hits her center.

"I need you," Alison whimpers as she guides Emily's hand towards her center and the brunette's eyes widen at how incredibly _wet_ Alison is and they have barely done anything. She looks up into Emily's dark eyes. "I wasn't lying. Those kisses weren't for practice."

"Ali," Emily merely says and guides the blonde's hand down her toned stomach and the blonde whimpers because this is what she's waited for. She loves Emily's flat tummy- fuck it she loves _everything_ about Emily.

Her eyes almost bulge as she realizes Emily is trailing her hand into her sweats, past her lace panties, and she moans involuntarily as she feels slick heat between Emily's folds.

"Em, shit," Ali breathes.

"I want you too," Emily admits shyly and Alison is finally seeing the girl she fell for.

Alison nods and kisses her, wanting to please Emily. She gets Emily out of the rest of her clothes, and then pushes her naked mermaid onto her back and gets between her legs.

She brings her hands around to hold her thighs down and she sees Emily's nervous face as she looks up.

"We don't have to do this if you don't want to," Alison says quietly but the brunette shakes her head vehemently.

"I want to," Emily pants and Alison smiles before she kisses her way up Emily's thigh and lets her tongue swipe at the slick folds and Emily whimpers as her thighs begin to tremble.

"Shh, we have to be quiet okay? My dad's sleeping," Alison warns and before Emily can get so much as an "okay" out, Alison closes her lips around Emily's clit and the brunette jerks her hips upward with a sharp gasp. This is everything she ever dreamed of- and it feels like pleasure she's never been able to achieve before. Alison's mouth on her dripping center sends waves of pleasure shooting through her body.

She feels Ali's hands roam up her body and grab at her breasts as her tongue flicks back and forth across the swollen bud and she has to bite her lip to keep from moaning. The blonde brings her hands back down and uses one to slip two fingers inside of Emily, causing the brunette to arch her back and thrust her hips into Ali's face.

It doesn't take much for Emily to cum, but when she does her body arches up off the bed and is shaking violently, little moans pouring out from her mouth desperately.

As she falls back against the bed, panting and trying to catch her breath, Alison slides up her body and kisses her slowly, lazily almost.

"Please don't doubt how I feel for you," she whispers a final plea. "You can do whatever you want, but please don't ever doubt how I feel."

Emily simply nods, and Alison kisses her forehead. "Merry Christmas Em."

"What about you?" Emily asks, her body still twitching from the mind-numbing orgasm that Alison just gave her. This all feels so strange, like an alternate universe.

"You're tired," Alison says with a sad smile. "I figure one day, if you forgive me, we can do this again."

Emily smiles shakily and sits up, but Alison is looking at her with these sad puppy eyes and she can't bring herself to say she should leave. Not yet.

"What?" Alison asks as she sees Emily looking at her.

"I believe you."

Those three words cause Alison to break into a faltering smile as tears well behind her eyes and she nods appreciatively.

She's well aware she's still in bed, with Emily, completely naked- this is the most vulnerable position she could be in. But it doesn't matter to her- none of it matters to her except Emily, who pulls her in close and lies them back down. So she curls up at her side and lets herself silently cry while Emily has her arms around her.

Maybe she won't go to hell, she thinks, before she falls asleep, because Emily is an angel. And maybe Emily can show her how to be a better person, help her to get back on the right track. Maybe Emily will come back soon, and maybe in this life of mistakes that Alison's made Emily won't be one of them.

But at seven thirty am, Alison pretends to remain sleeping as she feels Emily stir and get up to get dressed and leave. She opens one eye just a crack to see Emily's face one last time in the protected privacy of their secret affair.

"Ali," she hears the brunette whisper.

"Hm?" she pretends to wake up sleepily and Emily is kneeling by her bedside, staring at her intently.

"I'll come back, I promise," Emily says solemnly and the blonde nods.

"When?"

"I don't know," Emily shakes her head and the both of them know it could be today- it could be next week, it could be in three months. Their one night together doesn't undo years of pain, doesn't undo all their mistrust- it adds to their confusion, but it pushes them a step in the right direction, they hope. And that's all Alison can really ask for, it's the only thing she wants for Christmas- a fighting chance with Emily Fields.

The brunette kisses her forehead and leaves swiftly, otherwise she'd be tempted to stay longer.

Emily trudges back to Spencer's through the snow and shudders as she steps in the house, only to be greeted with Hanna's frowning face.

"I don't want to talk about it," Emily mumbles as she gets a glass of water.

"I won't tell," Hanna sighs, sipping on her own glass.

"Han," Emily says pensively as she stands with the glass and then looks at the blonde, a pained expression on her face.

"Yeah?"

"I can't do this anymore."

"I know," Hanna replies softly. Her snarky attitude is gone, and this is the kind, sensitive side to Hanna Marin.

"Promise you won't tell anyone?" Emily asks, her eyes begging.

"What are you two doing up?" The two hear a sleepy Aria from behind them and they share a glance before Emily goes over to the living room, telling Aria it's nothing and they were just thirsty.

Hanna watches Emily, and then turns towards the sink to put her glass in. It's then she sees the other blonde watching from her window, a sad look on her face. She looks towards Emily, and then back to the window- but Alison is gone. And Hanna is left to wonder if Emily will ever get her happily ever after.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: **So this was supposed to be a oneshot. Oh well, turned it into a three parter. Also, gonna update Christmas and Strippers before/on Christmas Day. Hope you guys are enjoying your holidays xx

Alison screams at the top of her lungs but her voice is muffled by cloth shoved into her mouth. She has a cold, thin layer of sweat covering her as she thrashes about in panic in the dark. Her wrists and ankles are tied and she has no idea where she is but the noose around her neck is enough to give her severe anxiety alone. The tiny space and dirt in her face and the dark surrounding her have her squirming with heavy breaths and she keeps praying somebody will come find her-

_12 hours earlier…_

It's New Years Eve morning, and Emily finds herself stuck in a department store arm chair bored out of her mind as Hanna tries on dress after dress. Caleb sits in the arm chair opposite Emily and has the same bored expression on his face. They had both been giving the blonde grief for dragging them out of bed early for sales. But then she made a remark about how Mona would have enjoyed it, and they shut up.

"This dress makes me look fat," Hanna whines as Caleb rolls his eyes and Emily snorts.

"You say that about every dress," the swimmer remarks and Hanna eyes her warily.

"Yeah, cause it's true," the snarky blonde sighs.

"I'm going to go check out some shoes," Caleb tells her hastily before he kisses her forehead and escapes, leaving the two girls to shop.

"Are we going to talk about it?" Hanna asks as she goes back into the dressing room.

"About what?" Emily asks nonchalantly but she knows what. It's the only thing that's really been on her mind for the last few days.

"You," she replies with a pause as she unzips the dress and breathes. "And Ali."

"I told you, I don't want to talk about it," the brunette quickly replies, busying herself with her phone. She can't count the number of times her finger has hovered over Alison's name, wanting to text or call or do something. But she doesn't let herself cave.

"Okay but the question is, who are you going to kiss at midnight tonight?"

"You," Emily says smugly to which Hanna makes a faux disgusted noise.

The Hastings have decided to host a New Year's Eve party, and everyone they know is invited- including Alison and Mr. DiLaurentis. Emily can't lie, she has secretly been anticipating this day just so she could see a glimpse of the blonde that she hasn't heard from or seen since Christmas night.

"Em, I don't want you to get hurt," Hanna says hesitantly as she exits the dressing room and looks the brunette dead in the eyes.

"I'm going with Paige," Emily says evenly.

"I know you."

"Ali is with Holbrook."

"Just be careful, okay?"

Emily drowns out the rest of her words. Despite every inch of her that is screaming at her to stay away from Alison, there's a part deep down inside that she can't say no to- that _wants _Alison more than anything or anyone else in the world, let alone this stupid small town.

She's prepared herself already for tonight, she bought a short, flirty black dress with a plunging deep neckline that reveals her cleavage nicely. There's no way Alison will be able to resist her, she thinks.  
>A part of her feels guilty for going with Paige and thinking of Alison. But they had agreed to not be official since Paige is moving. If she's honest with herself, she knows that if Paige is absent then the other swimmer will hurt much less as Emily tries to figure out things with Alison.<p>

As she continues to wait for Hanna, she lets herself wander near the dressing room. She eyes dress after dress until she ducks behind a row of red dresses as she sees the man who she suddenly despises.

Holbrook is standing there, coffee in hand, talking to someone out of Emily's view. She eyes him carefully, peeking through the clothes until she spots blonde hair and her heart sinks as she realizes who it is. Her heartbeat races angrily as she watches the blonde's petite hand land on Holbrook's arm. Even though she's trying so hard to believe Ali, it still _hurts_. It stings to see Alison with somebody else.

She thinks back to Christmas night, and all she can see is Ali's twinkling blue eyes glistening with tears as she tries so hard to convince her she loves her. And then Emily can't get rid of that image of Alison between her thighs, her tongue darting out and licking her wet-

"It's not nice to spy you know," she hears a mischievous voice from beside her and jumps back, startled.

Alison stands a little too close as she stares at her with small smile.

"I wasn't spying-"

But Alison cuts her off with a chaste kiss.

"Yes you were. Hi," Ali says softly and Emily thinks it might be the first time Alison has seemed genuinely shy. "Is that okay? Can I do that?"

"Not really," Emily starts, thinking about how this is only going to mess with her emotions some more. But when she sees Alison's crestfallen look she hesitantly adds, "But I didn't mind it."

"I know the other night didn't automatically fix everything," Alison says slowly, forcing herself to look at Emily in the eye. "But it meant something, didn't it?"

The brunette is caught off guard by how vulnerable Alison is right now, how little she appears when she seems to be begging for forgiveness. Her wide blue eyes have depths that Emily wants to get lost in, and she would do anything to be able to freely lose herself in Ali.

"It meant something to me," Emily tells her with a nod.

"Me too," Alison grins and it's not the evil, twisted grin that Emily used to be afraid of.

"I thought we agreed no talking to strangers."

The two hear Hanna as she approaches and Emily rolls her eyes though Alison flinches at the other blonde's smirk.

"Hello Hanna," she says coolly. "Are you shopping for a dress too?"

"Obviously," Hanna scoffs.

"Well then, I'll let you two go," Alison forces a smile and Emily is glad that she can tell the difference between Alison's genuine smile and the obnoxious fake one she gives everybody else.

"Will we see you tonight?" Hanna asks curiously.

"Most likely," Alison replies with a quick glance to Emily. The brunette hopes it means "see you later". It doesn't escape Hanna.

"With Holbrook?" Hanna boldly asks and Emily rolls her eyes at her audacity.

"He's busy, if you must know," Alison tells her simply. "I'll see you later."'

She spins on her heels and briskly walks away, willing herself to keep going. Of course she'd love to drag Emily into one of the dressing rooms and have her way. But seeing as that's not an option, she walks back to Holbrook and sighs heavily, knowing she should wait. Patience is a virtue she's never practiced, but now might be a good time to start.

x-x-x

Emily whips her wet hair back as she exits the shower and throws a towel around her. She breathes deeply, trying to get herself in the proper mindset to go out tonight. But all she really wants to do is curl up in bed with tea. And she can think of another certain blonde that used to love sleepovers with tea.

She sighs as she opens the door and strolls out to her dresser, trying to pick the right underwear to wear when-

"Hey Em."

The brunette gasps as she jumps and turns around, and she doesn't know how she missed Alison leaning in her doorway.

And right now, the blonde is staring at her with a peculiar look.

"Holy shit, Alison, how'd you get in here?" she tries to catch her breath but the blonde shrugs. This would be the second time today the blonde has snuck up on her, and she makes a mental note to later ask how often Alison used to spy on her.

"Through your window. We need to talk."

"Right now?"

"I don't think it's safe for us to be seen together."

Emily frowns. This wasn't what she expected to hear.

"Is this another way of you saying you don't want to even try to make whatever this is work?"

"God, no," Alison shakes her head sadly. It kills her how much doubt she's caused Emily through the years. But this is worse than it ever was. She's never loved Emily as much as she does now, and she's never feared for Emily's life more. "I think A is up to something."

"A is always up to something."

"I got a text," Alison replies looking down at the ground.

"And?"

"Keep kissing Emily, and you can kiss her goodbye. –A," Alison recites quietly, and she doesn't even have to pull her phone out to see it. When she got back from shopping, she received the text and had then sat in her room for the next few hours just staring at her phone, not knowing what to do. Letting something happen to Emily was just not an option.

"Let me see," Emily urges and approaches the blonde. Alison is suddenly extremely aware that Emily is mere inches away from her, in nothing but a towel.

"Here," Alison gives her the phone and leans back, willing herself to stay away from Emily, otherwise she's pretty sure she'd jump her right then and there.

"Oh my god," Emily breathes in a low voice as she sees the text. There's a video attached.

"Wait you might not want to watch that-"

But Emily goes ahead and watches it anyway, ignoring the blonde's hesitancy. It absolutely frightens her, makes her tremble with fear. It's a video of Alison between Emily's legs on Christmas night, and it's taken from Alison's bedroom _doorway_. A was inside the house, watching. It makes Emily absolutely sick to think that their intimate moment wasn't private, that their sacred moment was observed by the devil herself.

"Why would A care?" Emily vents, frustrated.

"That bitch is probably jealous, whoever she is," Alison chuckles darkly.

"Huh?"

"That I got to taste you and she didn't."

"Ali…"

"It's just a joke Em," Alison clarifies and her tone softens. "I don't want anything to happen to you. I've worked too hard to have it all come crashing down now."

"So what does that mean for us?"

"It means stay away," Alison murmurs as she hangs her head. She can't look at Emily right now- she knows the trust between them is wobbly and wavering. The amount of doubt within Emily must be crazy.

"I don't know if I can."

The blonde snaps her head up.

Emily is looking at her _kindly_, the way she used to. It's the same look Emily gave her right before she kissed her in the library, warm chocolate eyes shining with affection.

"Woah," Alison breathes and Emily quirks her head to the side.

"Hmm?"

Alison shakes her head. "Nothing. I just…"

Emily steps closer, "What's the matter?"

Alison's breath hitches as Emily steps a little too close.

"Em…" her voice trails off as she stares at the tan skin that's revealed by the skimpy towel, racy thoughts running through her mind. "You should put some clothes on."

Emily's mouth drops into an o-shape. She may be bold and confident now, but something about Alison still unnerves her- and she can't believe Ali just said that.

"O-o-ohkay," Emily nods, suddenly scrambling to go get dressed.

"Wait," Ali calls as her mermaid starts to skitter. She pauses before continuing. "I'm gonna go now."

"Now?"

"Yes, now," Ali nods and flashes her a smile. "I'll see you tonight."

Emily falters but smiles back, glad that at least that sounds like a solid promise.

x-x-x

Spencer descends the stairs surveying the party and all the guests. She watches carefully, weary of drunks vandalizing the rented venue. There's nothing she loathes more than a full fledged Hastings party. But she watches as the front door opens and Alison DiLaurentis walks in, _alone_. Spencer smirks to herself thinking this just got interesting.

The former queen bee looks out of her element, like a fish out of water. But the witty brunette's eyes narrow as she watches a small smile form on Alison's face and she follows her gaze to see Emily appear in the room, holding a wine glass. She can see that Emily hasn't seen the blonde yet, but the goofy grin on Alisons face is enough to make Spencer scoff.

And then Paige walks right up next to Emily, and Spencer almost spits her drink out at how Alison's smile disappears quickly. It's almost humorous, almost.

She walks down towards the blonde and approaches Alison from behind.

"Careful," she taunts and Ali whips around with a puzzled expression. "Someone might think you care."

Alison follows Spencer's gaze to the couple and her blood boils at the sight of Emily with someone else, even though she knows she has no right to those feelings.

"Back off, Spencer, learn to stay out of other people's business," Alison snaps quietly.

"Emily is my business, in case you forgot, she's my best friend," Spencer tells her in an irritatingly calm yet warning voice.

"She's a big girl, you don't have to baby her," Alison sighs with a weary look on her face.

"Yeah well when it comes to you we can't be too careful," Spencer bites back.

"Yeah cause I'm A, right?" Alison glares at her before shaking her head. "Think what you want but stop poisoning Emily's mind. Let her make her own opinions."

"Says the one trying to sleep with her just to-"

But Spencer is cut off as Alison steps into her, her eyes dark and angry. "You can say whatever you want about me. You could call me a cunt and I'd probably agree with you and say I deserve it. But don't you _dare_ belittle my relationship with Emily."

"The way you did years ago and broke her heart?"

Alison's jaw locks in a heated gaze and Spencer is surprised the blonde hasn't physically lashed out because she can feel her frustration radiating.

"You know nothing about how I feel, leave me alone," Alison hisses and walks away, pissed off to a whole new level. Spencer lets out a breath she didn't know she was holding as but Alison quickly turns around. "And do _not_ bother Emily about it."

From a distance, Emily had watched the whole encounter. Her eyes had laid on the blonde moments after she had walked in the room, and her heartbeat had sped up rapidly as she continued to watch her. Alison was wearing a gorgeous pale yellow dress that made her look young and carefree, almost as if she hadn't been through hell and back. Emily swallowed thickly as she noted that the blonde's dress stopped above her mid-thigh. It was going to be a long night.

She began to grow worried as she saw Alison step in towards Spencer with a scary, anger filled expression on her face.

"Earth to Emily," she heard from her side and had to continue her conversation with Paige. But both of them knew that Emily's mind was somewhere else completely.

When the blonde stalks off, Emily's eyes follow her and Paige sighs.

"Go," the other swimmer reluctantly says and Emily's head whips back to her, eyes wide.

"What?"

"Go talk to Ali, I know you've wanted to since she showed up at this party," Paige says in a controlled voice.

"I came with you though," Emily starts but Paige waves her off with a strange expression on her face.

"The sooner you go say hi or whatever, the faster I can have you back, right?" Paige asks but there's an underlying bitter tone. Emily sighs and nods. She kisses Paige to reassure her (to reassure herself) but it feels so wrong. All she can think of is Alison's lips.

So she weaves her way through a crowd of people and finds Alison standing near a deserted window and her hand reaches out to touch Alison's shoulder.

The blonde feels the slightest movement on her skin and jumps a mile in the air, frightened.

"It's just me," Emily says quickly as Alison turns around to see the brunette with a small smile on her face.

"Em," she breathes and quickly gives her a brief hug and then pushing her away. "What did I tell you about being seen together?"

"Wait you were serious?" Emily frowns.

"A was serious."

"So what if I'm hanging out with you?"

"It means you're not afraid of her, and that you care," Alison says with a grimace. "I think you're forgetting that A wants me to suffer, and she knows exactly how to make it hurt."

"By trying to keep you away from me," Emily says with the full realization hitting her. If that is true, Emily reasons, she has no reason to doubt Alison's words- because if A of all fucking people realizes Alison's feelings are true, then Emily should too. "So you're really not A."

"You really believed I was?" Alison's voice is so tiny and distant that Emily has to strain her ears to hear.

"I didn't know what to believe," Emily offers apologetically. The blonde nods, understandingly but still hurt. "I still don't."

Alison looks down at her feet, the words stinging her even though she knows she should expect this at least.

"But I'm trying to understand," Emily continues kindly. There's a thick silence in the air between them and Alison thinks that maybe Emily will save her, save them both. She doesn't feel strong enough right now to carry any responsibility- she's tired, tired of running, tired of lying- tired of trying to prove to people she's changed. But here Emily is standing before her, trying to see the good in her like she always used to- and Alison is humbled that an angel like Emily is taking pity on a devil like her.

But after all, the devil was only a fallen angel. Maybe her mermaid could help her get back up.

"You look good Em," Alison offers with a sad smile as her eyes roam up and down Emily's body knowingly. The brunette had been right, Alison really couldn't resist her in this dress. "I bet Paige thinks so too."

Emily quiets at the sound of her unofficial exgirlfriend.

"You should get back to her," Alison notes, seeing the girl in the distance standing worriedly. And honestly, she'd be worried too if she was Paige. Emily hesitates to leave.

"Well can we meet up later?" Emily asks and she wonders back to Hanna's question earlier of who she'd be kissing at midnight.

"I don't think we should be seen together, honestly," Alison tries to tell her but she hates the words coming out of her mouth. She wants to spend every second she can at Emily's side. "I came because I had to see you and make sure you're alright. But I don't want to push my luck anymore than I have."

"But-"

"Emily please," Alison's voice suddenly gains a harsh edge to it. "Don't make this more difficult than it has to be."

The brunette quiets and stares at her for a moment before nodding and turning on her heels, feeling as if she'd just received a blow from Alison.

The blonde huffs frustrated as she watches Emily walk back to Paige and she doesn't realize her nails are digging into her own skin as her fists clench while she watches Paige console Emily with a kiss on the forehead and a hug. It's going to be a long night for sure.

x-x-x

At 11:00, Ali sits by herself at a table, sulking. This had been a bad idea, but what did she really think was going to happen? She had received a text before coming from A warning her- no taunting her to go, and despite her gut feelings, she had come anyway. And now, her phone vibrates and she looks at it only to see a blocked number text again.

_So you came to play, hope you get to Emily before I do. Let's see who's kissing her at midnight. – A_

Alison's blood runs cold at the personalized threat as she stills and looks around the room slowly. Somehow she'd lost sight of the brunette as she'd been lost in her thoughts. But her phone vibrates again and this time she sees a text from her mermaid directly.

_Meet me out at my car? I'm leaving. _

Alison jumps up out of her chair, anxious to find Emily before A does. She can't lose Emily, not now.

Eyes watch her carefully and calculatingly from the shadows.

x-x-x

Emily uncomfortably shifts as Paige continues to kiss her, long and deep against the bathroom door. She doesn't understand where this sudden rush came from, but she's assuming the other swimmer is feeling a need to mark her territory after sensing Emily's emotional distance.

As they break apart for air, Emily steps back. This feels wrong to her, it feels like a distant memory she isn't supposed to revisit.

"Let's go back out," Emily suggests as she looks around for her phone. Paige huffs with annoyance.

"Right now?"

"Yeah, what time is it? Where's my phone?"

"I don't know, you probably left it outside on the table," Paige nonchalantly replies and is clearly annoyed now that Emily is obviously not interested in her at the moment.

"I need to get it," Emily tells her as she tries to open the door but she hears Paige's biting voice from behind her.

"Why? So you can see if _Ali_ texted you? For Christ sake Em, why did you even ask me to come?"

"Ali and I are trying to be friends-"

"You don't look at friends the way you look at her," Paige accuses, frustrated. "Forget it."

Emily stares, not really knowing what to say (because she's in the wrong, she knows this- she's throwing away her relationship with Paige for one that might send her to hell). Paige brushes past her and leaves the room with a huff and Emily sighs, willing herself to push aside the doubt.

x-x-x

"Em?" Alison calls out as she approaches the brunette's car parked behind the venue where the girls had parked initially, away from the crowd. They had come early to help set up, and Alison knew from past years this was where they always met. It's quiet, except for the noise coming from the party hall. But she sees Emily's car, on, and long brown hair in the window of the driver's seat so she hurries up.

"Emily, where are you going?" she asks as she approaches the car window but when the driver turns to face her, she sees a face wearing a mask that eerily looks like her darling brunette.

"Holy shit," Alison gasps, frightening chills shooting through her as she turns to run but is met with a hooded figure wearing the same mask.

In one swift move, the hooded figure grabs her, spins her around, and shoves a cloth into her mouth before she can scream. Her heart begins to race and her eyes widen. The blonde begins to thrash but the mystery girl from the car comes out and grabs her hands, tying them together with rough rope that digs so hard into Ali's wrist she whimpers, tears pricking at her eyes.

"Help!" Alison tries to scream but it's of no use, her voice is so muffled that the two torturers laugh at her as they throw her on the ground and tie her feet up. Her dress has flown up, exposing her, and Alison's cheeks flush red but it becomes her last concern as the two figures slide a burlap sack over her head and her mind is flooded with thoughts of being buried alive. And then her tormentors further her panic- she feels dirt being shoved inside the bag, and she begins to _shriek_ in terror, her heart racing as she trembles like a panicked animal. As she inhales dirt into her nose she feels the bag being tied shut with rope, like a noose around her neck. Though the bag isn't filled with dirt, there is enough to stimulate those feelings of being buried alive, and whoever these people were, they _knew_ she was helpless to her trauma-induced panic.

She can barely hear anything but her own painful screams as she tries to twist her body out of the grasp of these people but they pick her up and throw her into an enclosed space and she hears a loud slam. The blonde tries to roll around and sit up but her head hits a hard top quickly and claustrophobia begins to kick in as she helplessly squirms and cries, her heart pounding furiously.

She's no longer in the present- she's back to that night where she was buried, where her mother _betrayed _her after somebody tried to _murder_ her. And she doesn't want to die, _god _please don't let me die, she cries out to an empty space.

Alison starts to roll around and bang against the sides of wherever she is- she can't think straight, can't form coherent thoughts- she just needs to get out of here. Her hot tears run down her face as dirt occasionally gets into her nostrils and the tight rope around her neck causes her to choke on her own screams.

She should've been more careful, she shouldn't have even come in the first place. She should've stayed away from Emily- oh god, Emily- Alison feels cold sweat on her face as she screams again for help but she knows she's trapped. Her throat is raw from her screaming and her head is throbbing from her panicked thrashing as she hits it every time she tries to sit up.

Alison can feel herself back in that grave, dirt being shoveled over her as she tries to scream for help but is unable to make a sound, unable to move. She remembers that sickening feeling of dirt flooding her breathing passages and air slowly, that horrifying feeling of _the end_. And so her terror increases tenfold as a blanket of fear encases her and she screams desperately, hoping somebody hears her.

x-x-x

"You didn't see her leave?" Emily's brows furrow as she asks Hanna about Alison's whereabouts.

"I'm not her keeper," Hanna retorts as she feels guilty for letting the blonde out of her sight even when Emily had requested she keep an eye out for her.

"I thought she'd say goodbye," Emily mutters, doubt flooding through her mind quickly as she wonders for the hundredth time that night whether or not Alison has ever been sincere. It kills her how she doubts the blonde, but she tells herself it's not her fault.

"Yeah, who dips out on a New Years Eve party right before midnight?" Hanna muses out loud.

"Someone who doesn't want to kiss anyone there," Emily mutters sadly. She knows Ali claims to be doing this for her own protection- but that seeded doubt eats away at her.

"Or," Hanna adds gently, "someone who doesn't want to watch the person they want to kiss, kiss somebody else."

Emily sighs and walks away, her heart heavy. She sees the clock at 11:30, and she goes over to her table to see if Ali texted her. But when she picks up her phone, her blood runs cold as she sees a message from a blocked number.

_How's Ali supposed to kiss anyone at midnight if she's too busy screaming in the dark? – A_

Emily quickly shuts her phone and runs back over to Hanna, anxiety filling her as she nearly knocks the blonde over.

"We need to find Ali."

"What-"

But Emily shoves the phone in her face as she breathes heavily and Hanna's face shifts to one of shock.

"Fuck, okay, you start looking and I'll get Aria and Spence."

Emily hastily thanks her as she runs back to the main hall but realizes she doesn't know what she's looking for so she opens her texts to re-read the message when she sees another one in the inbox, from Ali.

_Okay I'm coming, why are you leaving?_

The message came a little past eleven, when Emily was still in the bathroom with Paige. The brunette frowns and reads the previously sent text and her eyes widen. Without another thought, she dashes to the back of the building, out the door, and stills. She hears a faint pounding and strains her ears to block out the sounds of the party.

She walks closer and closer to her car and then it hits her- the pounding is coming _from _her car. Emily runs over, frightened at what she's going to find but doesn't think twice before throwing her trunk open and she stares in horror while listening to the panicked muffled cries for help.

"Ali," she gasps horrified and stares at a shaking petite body with a hood over the head but she recognized the dress. Her body is curled up to fit in the cramped space. Quickly she pulls Alison up and undoes the rope around Ali's neck and pulls the bag off, watching as dirt falls out and she sees panicked, blue watery eyes blinking rapidly. Her pale face has dirt all over with tear stains.

"Oh my god," Emily rips the gag off of Alison and her eyes widen at the sight of a bleeding bruise on Alison's forehead—she must've been banging her head against the car in panic. The blonde's sobs become much louder and more vocal without the gag, and her eyes stare at Emily with urgency. There's a sort of glossy, film look over them- like Alison isn't truly present, like she's lost in her nightmares.

"Alison what happened?" Emily tries asking but as soon as she undoes the ropes on Ali, the blonde launches herself from the trunk of the car straight into Emily's arms and doesn't stop shaking with sobs.

Ali hugs her mermaid tight, her nails digging into her as she clutches Emily desperately. Her chest is heaving with terrified cries as she buries her face in the crook of the brunette's neck and Emily is horrified, she's never seen Alison in this state before.

"Ali it's okay, I'm here, you're okay," Emily tries to soothe but the once fearless girl is a wreck of sobs and shivers, and Emily is sure her neck is damp from all the tears.

She tries to guide her away but Alison shrieks at the feeling of Emily pulling away, her thoughts flying to Emily leaving her and clutches onto her tighter.

"D-d-d-d-don't," is all Alison can cry as her tiny hands grab at Emily for dear life.

"I'm not leaving you," I swear," Emily promises fiercely, hugging her back and Alison's body relaxes ever so slightly at the scent of Emily surrounding her and the feeling of her mermaid holding her tightly.

Hanna is the first to run out back, and she slows her pace when she sees the sight before her. Emily is standing there with a pained look on her face while Alison _cries_, and Hanna has never heard or seen her cry like this before. She watches as if she's an outside intruder, and she sees Emily kiss Alison's forehead and watches as Alison shifts to hug her tighter. The other girls are coming, she can hear them behind her, but she stops them, and she is unwilling to break whatever moment she sees in front of her.

Because for the first time she doesn't see a queen bee and her killer protector, she sees two girls who may just be right for each other even in the most unfortunate of circumstances. And Hanna isn't even rude enough to break that up right now in this moment. Maybe, she thinks, Emily will eventually get her happily ever after- because it's ironically midnight, and Alison is quivering in Emily's arms as she kisses the top of her head softly. Just maybe, for once, it'll work out despite everything else.


	3. Chapter 3

**Part One of the Last Chapter.**

A/N: Reaaaaally fucking wish they explored more Emison on the show god damn it.

**x-x-x**

Emily picks the kettle up off her stove and pours the hot water into a large mug to make chamomile tea. Luckily, her mother was still at the New Years party. In the faint lighting of the kitchen, she stirs the tea and pours a bit of honey in it. When she turns around, she sees Alison sitting close by on a stool, staring at her with wary, distant eyes.

"Here you go," Emily says softly, passing the tea off to the blonde. But when Ali tries to grab it from her, her hands shake and she can't hold it without making the spoon clatter against the ceramic mug. Emily bites her lip nervously and gently guides the mug to the counter. "Let's just let it cool down for a second."

Alison nods reluctantly and her shoulders slump forward as she sits there, defeated, her hands folded back into her lap.

Emily leans down to examine the gash on her head and she picks up the cloth-wrapped icepack on the counter and carefully dabs at it, causing the blonde to tense up and whimper slightly.

"Jesus Ali, are you sure you don't want to go to the hospital?"

"NO!" Alison's hands fly to Emily's wrist and the brunette jumps as she clutches tightly. "Please don't make me go."

"Okay," Emily gives in and sighs. She continues to clean the gash and then proceeds to wipe Ali's face of all the dust and dirt.

"Can I…can I please stay here…tonight?" Alison chokes out slowly, avoiding eye contact with Emily. The brunette merely stares at her with disbelief, pausing her gentle cleaning.

"You're crazy if you think I'm letting you out of my sight tonight," Emily quips back and she notices Alison smile ever so faintly before she winces in pain.

The moment is tender and silent, as if nobody else exists in the world except the two of them in the dark of Emily's kitchen. But it's quickly interrupted by Emily's phone ringing.

"It's Spencer," Emily says while glancing at the caller ID.

"You should answer," Alison tells her quietly. So she does.

"Emily, are you guys okay?"

"We're fine, a little shaken but we're fine," Emily says out loud to reassure herself and the rest of them. But as she looks at Alison, she knows the girl is anything _but_ fine. She barely sees a trace of that ferocious, headstrong girl she used to know.

"Well we have no leads," Spencer reports unhappily. "Aria and Hannah are pulling together a list of people we saw at the party who we can cross off the list."

"Keep me posted," is all Emily can think to say.

Spencer hangs up with a quick goodbye and Emily focuses her attention back on the distant blonde.

"That didn't sound good," Alison whispers softly, her voice hoarse.

"They're still at the party," Emily lets her know before she sighs and looks at Alison carefully. "Do you want to go upstairs?"

The blonde nods wordlessly and tries to stand up but feels lightheaded, swaying on her feet as she attempts to stay standing. Emily catches her gently, her hands landing on Alison's arms.

"Are you okay?" Emily asks softly, her voice light and full of concern. Alison's never missed Emily as much as she does now as the brunette stands in front of her. She _misses_ Emily in ways she didn't think she ever would.

She opens her mouth to speak, but nothing comes out except a squeak.

"Ali?" Emily asks again, the blonde staring at her doe-eyed is worrying her.

"Upstairs," Alison manages to get out and Emily nods, slipping her arm around Alison and helping her up to her bedroom. She turns to leave to grab the tea, but Alison gasps and yanks her backwards. "Where are you going?"

"To get the tea," Emily explains quietly. "I'll be right back. I swear."

"I don't need it," Alison insists, her eyes wide with worry.

"I will be right back," Emily reiterates gently, carefully removing herself from Alison. As she hurries downstairs, she tries to remember why she ever thought Alison was –A, because this is some damn good acting if she is. There's no way that Alison is tormenting the four of them. But Emily remembers that even though Ali isn't A, her fear of Alison using her for comfort is still valid. As she grabs her tea she tries to shake that thought.

When Emily comes back into the room, her heart clenches in her chest at the sight that greets her eyes, and she almost drops the tea mug- right there before her is Alison, curled into a ball on her bed, and she's shaking so hard that it looks like she's feverish and on the verge of a breakdown. She resembles a little lost child or a hurt baby animal, Emily manages to think, and it pains her to admit that all this might have been avoided had she been more cautious. Had she not left the damn phone where she left it. If only she hadn't been fooling around in a bathroom with Paige.

"Hey, Ali, I'm sorry," she utters in a half-whisper as she comes closer to embrace the trembling blonde, and starts drawing small circles on her back. She's not sure how things went so wrong. If –A wants to break Alison, she's doing a damn near good job of it.

"Ali, you're safe now. No one will hurt you now."

She's certain now, more than ever, that she will not let anyone come even close to hurting Alison, not in this lifetime, not if she can help it. Not under her watch. Not ever. She sighs a small sigh of relief as she feels Alison's body relax slightly under her touch, and when the blonde's breathing evens out a bit, she gently kisses her forehead.

"P-promise me you won't leave me alone tonight," Alison's words are full of desperation and limitless fear, and Emily could swear she's never seen anyone that broken before.

She simply nods but Alison continues to look at her helplessly.

"Promise me!" she pleads.

"I promise," Emily solemnly appeases her and with a long kiss to the top of her head. She doesn't remember ever being this affectionate with Alison because the blonde had always rejected her. But now she's clinging to her as if she'll disappear into thin air.

The brunette begins to adjust the two of them on the bed so that Alison is lying beside her with her body angled so that she's partly on top of Emily who is on her back.

"Try and sleep Ali," Emily sighs as she feels the blonde's body press tightly against her.

"I don't think I'll be able to," Alison mumbles. She looks up to see Emily's brown eyes watching her carefully. "I thought I was…I felt like I was dying again…you don't know how awful that was-"

"I know I can't understand," Emily begins. "But you're here with me. I won't let anything happen to you, I swear."

"My mermaid," Alison murmurs softly as she lays her head back down and her hand gripping Emily's side loosens a bit as her fingers play with Emily's shirt.

And that's how the brunette falls asleep.

x-x-x

"Em, Em wake up!"

The brunette groggily stirs as she sees Alison, on top of her, frantically shaking her and whispering with a panicked tone.

"Hmm-mmmf-," Emily opens her mouth to speak but Alison slams her hand on top of her mouth to cover it.

"I heard a noise downstairs," Ali says with frightened eyes and a terror so evident it scares Emily.

"It's probably just my mom," Emily whispers in a hushed voice but the blonde shakes her head.

"Your mom never came home. I never saw her car lights in the driveway."

This startles the swimmer. She shoots straight up, almost knocking Alison off of her. But the blonde immediately tackles her back down on the bed, the weight of her body pressing down on Emily's purposely. The swimmer stares at her confusedly.

"Don't you dare go out there," Alison warns her as her gaze burns deep into Emily's eyes, and she knows the blonde is not to be taken lightly.

Suddenly, both of them go dead silent at the faint creaking of a stair and Emily pauses her movement, her blood running cold.

"Emily?"

Both of them hear the faint whisper from the doorway and Emily sits up hastily, gently moving Alison off of her. A familiar blonde pops her head in the doorway.

"Hanna?!" Emily almost screeches as she releases a large sigh she didn't realize she'd been holding in. She turns to see a look of relief on Alison's face mixed with annoyance.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Alison bites, her irritation getting the best of her. She's sick and tired of being afraid, and Hannah had been her punching bag for years- old habits die hard.

"I got a phone call," Hanna's face is pale and the two girls start to notice how scared she looked. "It was a looped recording of Ali shrieking."

She pauses before continuing once she realizes she has their attention. "And then I got this text."

_I'm going to silence Alison forever if you don't stop looking for me. –A_

"So why are you here?" Emily asks softly, confused.

"Well I wanted to make sure you guys were safe," Hanna starts and then grimaces. "And I found a clue."

"A clue?" Alison's ears perk up and she sits forward eagerly.

"A lead," Hanna continues warily. "Paige didn't leave the party after you left."

"So?" Emily's voice gains a wary angry edge to it.

"So I followed her," Hanna says patiently. "Not because I was suspicious, but I saw her angrily storm off. I saw her out back talking to someone. I couldn't see who. But that person was holding a mask, Em."

With that, Alison watches as Emily's face crumbles and she rises up off the bed, angry.

"She wouldn't," the brunette shakes her head, refusing to believe that Paige would willingly help to _break_ somebody like that (but then again, the girl had tried to drown her). But her body is already moving forward towards the door. She doesn't see the worried lines in Alison's face increase.

"I have to talk to her-" Emily starts but Hanna cuts her off.

"You will do no such thing," the feisty blonde interrupts.

"Why not?"

"We don't know what she knows or what she did or who she's involved with!"

"Well somebody has to find out," Emily scowls as she pushes past Hanna, her blood racing and her heart beating so loud she can only hear white silence. Because, really, how _dare_ Paige betray her like that. It's a few moments after she exits her bedroom that she hears noise gradually and she turns around to see Alison attempting to scramble out of the room with Hanna trying to hold her back. The frightened blonde's eyes are staring her down.

"You said you wouldn't leave me alone!"

Alison's sharp words mixed with a whimper causes Emily to pause in her tracks, her adrenaline fueled anger subsiding slightly.

"What?" the brunette asks, feeling slightly faint from all the night's events and the newest revelation.

"You promised you wouldn't leave me," Alison reiterates, her chest heaving as she tries to catch her breath from the oncoming panic attack.

"I'm not," Emily sighs, running a hand through her hair and Hanna eyes the two of them.

"We'll deal with Paige in the morning, meanwhile I don't think it's safe for you guys here," Hanna says cautiously.

"And so where do you suggest?" Emily asks warily.

x-x-x

Spencer has to open the window because all five girls sleeping in Aria's room causes quite the high temperature, even for the winter.

"You sure it was a mask?" Spencer asks as she pensively stares out the window. Alison's body shivers against Emily, the two curled up on a sleeping bag, and the brunette notices suddenly how frail Alison is and she wonders if all the stress has truly caused the blonde to lose her appetite and ability to sleep.

"Positive," Hanna quips with a small huff as she glances towards the two on the ground. The room is quiet for a moment before they hear a phone vibrate and they all look at Alison.

The blonde cautiously looks at her phone and her heart drops as she sees a new messaged from a block sender. She sits up, shaking.

"Open it," Emily whispers against Ali's neck and the blonde obeys.

"Oh my god," Ali gasps and Emily's mouth drops open.

"What?" Hanna asks impatiently as she and the other Spencer and Aria push their way to see. "No fucking way."

The text is a picture of Hanna, Emily, and Ali in Emily's room barely an hour ago talking. It was taken from Emily's _closet_.

"Oh my god," Ali repeats as if in a trance and she really honestly doesn't know what to do- her body feels paralyzed with fear once more. She doesn't feel safe _anywhere_. Sure, it feels safer with Emily, but apparently –A had been hiding out in Emily's goddamn closet while they slept. It makes her shudder to think that if Hanna hadn't shown up, something worse may have happened.

"Take a deep breath, it's okay," Spencer tries to calm them down but even Aria and Hanna are getting restless and fearful. Spencer shakes her head. "Fuck this."

She storms over to Aria's closet and flings the door open as all the girls make audible sounds of fear.

But it's empty, and the room is so small that Spencer knows nobody could really fit in there without them knowing while they're all awake.

"Guys, we're fine. A can't get us in here, not with all of us here and your dad and brother in the house," Spencer comments dryly.

"We can't always constantly have sleepovers in my room, how are we supposed to explain that to our parents?" Aria asks incredulously.

"Well it's not safe for Ali to be alone," Emily adds fiercely and the blonde, though shaken, can feel Emily's strong sense of protection surrounding her.

"Or any of us," Hanna interjects as well.

"We can't do anything about it right now," Spencer leads them. "But tomorrow, we'll deal with this bitch once and for all."

x-x-x

"Do you still love her?"

Alison's words are so soft Emily wouldn't have been able to hear had Ali's lips not been right by her straining ears.

"Who?" Emily whispers back. It's past dawn, and the girls are all asleep- except Emily and Alison, the brunette moreso forcing herself to stay awake. She knows Alison isn't going to sleep peacefully anytime soon.

"Paige," Alison whispers quietly.

"It's complicated," Emily tries to explain but the answer doesn't sit well with the blonde.

"No it's not," Alison argues back with a frown, her eyebrows scrunched together as she huffs. Emily's eyes keep fluttering shut every few minutes, and she knows the exhausted brunette is on the verge of passing out. Still, she can't help but to lean into Emily and keep asking the questions that are weighing her mind down.

"I don't know," Emily sighs.

"What about me?" Alison whispers in such a tiny voice that Emily thinks she may have imagined it.

"I love you," Emily murmurs, her half open brown eyes gazing at Ali with deep adoration. "I always have."

"Can you be in love with two people?" Alison asks as she tilts her head and the brunette pauses. The weight of Ali's words sink in. Emily moves her head in an attempt to shake it, sleep slowly taking over her body.

"I need to know Emily," Alison whispers, leaning up and bringing her lips flush against Emily's ear. "I need to know I'm the one. This isn't a bitter request I swear. But if it came down to it, me or Paige, I need to know…if…"

Ali's voice chokes and Emily swears in her heavy sleep induced state that she can feel Alison's hand grip her shirt tightly.

"I just don't want to be hurt again," Alison admits in a painful whisper. "I can take A's abuse if you're here by my side. But I don't know what I'd do if I lost you again-"

She stops talking and lets out a breathy sigh.

"I know you very little reason to trust me," her voice is hoarse now, painfully raw. "But I love you, so very much Emily Fields."

"Ali," Emily murmurs as she turns her head and sleepily leans in to kiss Alison's lips quickly, catching the blonde off guard. "You're the one."

With that, Emily's eyes slip shut and Alison finds herself awake with only her thoughts and she sighs, curling herself into the brunette. This is her best comfort, and she'll never grow tired of it.


End file.
